Typically, when testing a machine, the operation of the machine is controlled to apply a predetermined sequence of operating points so as to enable the operation of the machine to be evaluated at each of the operating points. Each operating point is defined by a duration and by a set of operating parameters of the machine. Such a test method, when applied to a liquid-propellant rocket-engine, is disclosed in Russian patent RU 2 393 450.
Such tests can be very expensive, in particular when they are applied to a machine of great technical complexity, such as for example a liquid-propellant rocket-engine. If the test needs to be interrupted before reaching all of the operating points that it is desired to evaluate, e.g. as a result of a malfunction of the machine under test, or as a result of exhausting resources such as the propellants when testing a rocket-engine, it is necessary to perform new tests that are expensive in terms of time and resources, until the entire set of operating points has been tested.
In French patent application FR 2 946 746 A1, there is proposed a test method that comprises the following steps:
determining a plurality of operating points of a machine for testing, each operating point being defined by a minimum duration and a specific value for at least one operating parameter of the machine;
calculating a set of distances between pairs of operating points;
selecting an optimum sequence of operating points by applying an algorithm for solving the traveling salesman problem to said set of distances between pairs of operating points; and
controlling the operation of said machine according to said optimum sequence of operating points.
Nevertheless, that prior art method does not make it possible to take account of any possible change in circumstances during the test, such as for example the real consumption of certain finite resources, e.g. a fuel or a propellant, or changes of priority or of risk for the remaining operating points. It can be desirable to rearranged the optimum sequence while the test is running, e.g. in order to take account of the real consumption by the machine and the operating points that have already been reached, to take account of certain finite resources, such as for example a fuel or a propellant, and/or in order to take account of changes relating to the importance or the risk of various operating points during testing.